Can I Depend on God When I Feel Let Down?
Have you ever felt let down?
Maybe it was a friend who did not fulfill a promise, a colleague who did not finish their part of the work or a family member who was not there when you needed them most.
It can be so hard at times to find people we can truly depend on and trust.
Recently, I found a trustworthy companion in the most unlikely of places…
My 17-month old nephew, Charlie.
Charlie and Sara Claudia playing inside his firetruck tent.
Over the past few weeks, he has become more and more interested in my mobility cane. Of course, he does not realize yet that I am blind, but as he has observed me walking around with my cane, he does understand on some level that it helps to guide me.
He has even begun trying to help with this task, and it is pretty adorable.
When I stand up to begin walking with my cane, he will toddle over and grab the bottom of it while patiently waiting for me to tell him where to take me. I’ll say, “Take SC to Mama” or “Take SC to the door”, and he will pull me the desired destination, sweeping my cane back and forth across the floor just as he has seen me do.
Yes, I know it’s crazy, but I put my complete trust in him, because, honestly, it’s just so adorable!
While Charlie has mostly proved to be a faithful guide, he is not always dependable. Like any small child, he can get distracted pretty easily while he is guiding me, toddle off towards whatever now has his attention, and leave me stranded, not quite sure where I am in relation to my destination.
When people we are depending on do not follow through, we can feel this same way…
Stranded, lost, and a little frustrated.
In Genesis, God makes a promise to Sarah and her husband, Abraham. In their old age, they were still childless, but God vowed to them that they would have a son. When Sarah heard this, however, she was filled with doubt.
“So, she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master husband is also so old?” (Genesis 18:12 NLT)
You see, Sarah had faced many years of infertility and disappointment, and, like many of us do when we feel that we have been continually let down, she became untrusting and unbelieving. When we read how the Lord spoke to Abraham when He heard Sarah laugh and say this, however, we can learn an important lesson.
“Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, “Can an old woman like me have a baby?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” (Genesis 18: 13-14 NLT)
When people let us down, it is often because the task becomes too difficult, too time-consuming, or they get distracted like Charlie does when he is guiding me.
We have to be very careful, however, to not confuse these human shortcomings with the strength and ability of our Lord.
He is always dependable because He is all-powerful and nothing is too hard for Him to accomplish.
The Bible open in front of a body of water.
Just look at what he was able to do for Abraham and Sarah…
“The Lord kept His word and did for Sarah exactly what He had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would.” (Genesis 21:1-2 NLT)
The people around us are bound to let us down, and, let’s face it, we are probably going to do the same to them at some point.
When it comes to God’s promises, however, He will never leave us stranded or unsure of His intentions.
He is always dependable, faithful, honest, and nothing is too difficult for Him.
Even if you feel let down today, rest in the truth that, when we put our full trust in the Lord, we can know for sure that He will follow through to the end, just like He did for Abraham and Sarah.
